Am I Smart Already?

There’s nothing like a beautiful watch, and a good timepiece can be…well, timeless! But unfortunately, smartphones have significantly reduced (in truth, effectually eliminated) the practical need for a wristwatch in today’s world.

That’s why at TechImperatives.com, we’re beyond excited about one of the latest trends in Wearable Technology – Smart Watches. These devices combine the accessibility and the look of the classic wristwatch with sleek aesthetics and the latest technology, and they’re improving rapidly. Companies have come a long way from early-generation versions with limited options in style and functionality. The latest smartwatches can be customized to look as sporty or as elegant as you want, and when you’re wearing one of the top smartwatch models, you’ll barely ever have to reach for your phone at all.

If you’re looking for the best smartwatch on the market, your ideal model will likely depend on a variety of factors, such as your smartphone model, your price point preference, and the primary features you’re looking for. We’ll get to a few models later on, but for now, here are some of our favorite reasons to own a smartwatch in the first place.

Save Time

With a smartwatch, you’ll be able to check priority notifications at a glance without taking out your phone, unlocking it, and navigating your apps (just to find out you’re still getting “Candy Crush” requests from that one girl you went to college with). You’ll be able to see and take (or ignore) phone calls, receive and respond to text messages, read and re-Tweet the latest on Twitter, and more with a peek at your wrist and the touch of a button.

Be Discreet

Are you at an important work meeting? On a date? At a movie? No problem! Any of these situations could be a recipe for looking tacky, rude, or disinterested if you’re constantly checking your phone, but a smartwatch will allow you to view and dismiss your smartphone interruptions while looking present and engaged in your environment. That way, you’ll know if anything important warrants redirecting your attention or excusing yourself without drawing focus from what’s going on around you.

Additionally, smartwatch notifications will eliminate all of those annoying whistles, dings and chimes that drive you and your co-workers crazy. With your new gadget, you’ll be able to “feel” the subtle buzz of your notifications instead of hearing obnoxious noises all day.

Live Longer

Many smartwatches also feature tools for your physical health that will communicate with your smartphone’s lifestyle apps to track things like physical activity and sleep patterns.

Some of the top smartwatch options include a pedometer and a heartrate monitor, and our team is excited to see what other healthy lifestyle options upcoming smart watches will bring to the table.

Spare Your Battery

It may come as a surprise to you, but a smartwatch will likely help you stretch your phone’s battery a lot farther. The Bluetooth technology with which the newest smartwatch models are equipped requires very little energy, and one of the biggest drags on your phone’s juice is screen activity. The bigger and brighter your screen is, the faster your phone will lose a charge.

A smartwatch will allow you to do most of the things you would light up your phone for so you can save your precious battery for the things that really matter – like, you know… Minion Rush.

Talk to the Hand

Or the wrist… but forget the semantics.

The point is that with some smartwatches, you’ll be able to use voice command to take care of almost anything – making calls, sending messages, checking the weather, getting reservations, finding out how many 3’s Steph Curry hit last night – you get the picture.

Sure, this one could have fit in the “time-saver,” “battery-sparing,” or “discreetness” category, but we think it’s cool enough to get a mention on its own.

Which Smartwatch Should You Buy?

Really, it all depends on what you want to spend, how you want it to look, which phone you have, and what you’re mostly hoping to using it for.

The TechImperatives.com team had a blast reviewing a couple of the more prominent models, so we’ll give you a quick overview. If you want to find out more about each one, click on the links to check out our full reviews!

Apple Watch Sport

If you’re looking for the best smartwatch for iOS, this one might be your best bet, as it’s specifically designed to be compatible with the iPhone. Here are some of the key features that we love:
• Extensive functionality – manage your schedule, call a taxi, dictate and send messages, make and receive calls
• Up to 18 hours of battery life
• Track your fitness activity
• 42mm display – not too big or clunky, but not too small to read notifications and operate with your fingers
• Changeable wristbands for the right look at the right time

This piece retails for around $400, and sales don’t tend to last long – we recommend jumping on anything lower than $360 right away. Read our full review [here].

Retina display with Force Touch; Composite back, Splash and Water resistant in rain, exercising, etc (but not to be submerged in water, as it's not waterproof!)

Sport Band with stainless steel pin; Digital Crown

Heart rate sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope; Ambient light sensor

FitBit Blaze

The list of features included in the FitBit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch will easily match what you will find in the high-end wristbands. That includes your standard activity tracking features like:

How many steps you take during the day

How far you run

How many floors you climb (which is a surprising useful feature more watches offer now)

How many calories you burn during your workouts

The stylish smart watch by FitBit stands out with the awesome screen, the accurate HRM, the great battery and the overall very affordable price. If you don’t want to shell out more than 200$, this is the one single fitness smart watch that you need. Read our full review [here].

Use multi-sport tracking to track runs, cardio, cross-training, biking and more

Effortlessly and automatically record workouts to your dashboard with SmartTrack

Enable Connected GPS to map your routes and see run stats like pace and duration on display (when your phone is nearby)

Start a FitStar workout on your wrist and get step-by-step instructions and graphics to ensure you complete each move correctly

Samsung Gear S2

Certainly not the best smartwatch for iOS, but you already knew that. If you’re loving your Samsung Galaxy smartphone, this watch is going to send you over the moon.

It shares a lot of the features of the Apple Watch Sport, but we particularly liked the touchscreen and the customizability. This is a chameleon of a smartwatch that can look perfect in a corporate setting or at the gym with a fast change of the watch face, the wristband, or both. From classy leather to sweat-resistant plastic, there are lots of great looks and functions that you can get out of your Samsung Gear S2 – it’ll be whatever you need it to be!

While it’s still more than some other models, the Gear S2 still retails a little lower than the Apple Watch Sport as well – starting around $350. Read our full review [here].

Compatible with select devices using Android 4.4 and later with at least 1.5GB RAM. Some features may not be available. For best compatibility, connect with Samsung Galaxy devices. To find out more call 1 800 SAMSUNG.

Function meets style with elegant curves and premium finishes

Intuitive circular interface and rotating bezel for easy navigation, Access to important notifications, texts, and updates at a glance

Wireless charging dock included

In Short…

…get a smartwatch! You may not feel like you necessarily need it, but we’re pretty certain that you’re going to love it. With the immense improvements that these companies have managed to make in smartwatch technology in such a short time, we’re excited to see what kinds of benefits upcoming smart watches will bring. But for now, these models have our team more than satisfied.

At Tech Imperatives, we’re passionate about helping our readers learn about new technologies. We love reading and writing about the latest devices, so we have turned out interest into a useful resource that you can use to help you decide what types of consumer technology are right for you.

In addition to explaining general features included in products like smartphones, fitness trackers, and sleep wristbands, we give you specific details that will help you understand the pros and cons of each model.